Campania Attractions

Venue: Pompeii    When: Daily

One of the most famous ex-cities of the world, Pompeii was destroyed in 79AD by the unexpected eruption of Vesuvius, a volcano on the foothills where it had been built. In an incredibly short space of time the city was completely obliterated, submerged by a thick layer of volcanic ash that froze the last few moments of the lives of its citizens for all time.

Pompeii has fascinated generation after generation of archaeologists from all over the world. The gaps left in the solidified ash by the decomposing bodies of the city's unfortunate citizens were perfect impressions of their bodies. Thus, a simple dig through the ash reveals the everyday life of thousands of years ago, perfectly captured in negative, exposed to the eye, down to its most trivial and tragic details.

Twisted bodies, caught in the moment of seeking shelter from the catastrophe raining down around them, have evoked the kind of enthusiasm amongst scholars and amateurs alike that is normally reserved for dinosaurs. One bakery contained the outlines of more than 200 loaves of bread!

A walk through the amazing excavation sites reveals perfectly preserved buildings and artwork. The Vesuvius natural preserve provides evidence of the stubborn hardiness of certain types of vegetation (and people) that insist on eventually coming back time after time, come rains of ash or streams of burning lava...

It is slightly disturbing that the present-day city of Pompeii is a thriving metropolis situated right in the shadow of the volcano. Depending on your sources, between 700,000 and 2 million people live in high-risk areas... Have no fear, though: present-day seismography has advanced beyond looking out of the window to see if the dogs are running for the hills.

Volcanologically speaking, Vesuvius is actually a fairly uncommon type of volcano, a double one with the smaller active volcano lodged within the crater of another much older one. It has erupted several times since its most famous tantrum in 79, including several times in the 20th century, providing us with some really striking photographs of nature at its most powerful...get there before it's too late!